Merry Christmas

Christmas is just around the corner!!! :) 

Sorry I don't have a ton of time to email today!!! but I did want to leave this little Christmas thought with you all. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly7c9scxB9I&list=PLq9T3v5R_q8s3PKfpND5SOh3lUZolLDMf&index=5&cid=HP_FR_12-18-2015_dMIS_fYT_xLIDyI-1_

or just christmas.mormon.org 

Merry Christmas!!!!!!

:) 

love you all

Sister Shurts

Week 1 in Friedrichsdorf!

I traveled all by myself to Friedrichsdorf... which I will not lie- I quite enjoyed :) There were a lot of nice people on the train who helped  me with my luggage so that was not even a struggle. I left so much stuff in Heidelberg- that is always a nice thing when sisters change apartments- we leave a ton of clothes in the next apartment for the next sister to sort through. Sister Bundersons next companion will be blessed haha.

My new companion is sister Meyer- she is from California as well!! Love that! (but she is from northern california not LA) She has been here for about 3 months already and now the two of us are going to kill it this transfer! We did a lot of contacting this week since we have like no investigators but so it is anytime someone gets transfered. We were able to find a lot of cool people though! on thursday we had time to contact a little, so we said a prayer and went for it. We talked to two young girls around our age and end up getting there number and setting up an appointment with them! We continued down the Fuß when we heard someone shout out, "SISTERS!"  The man told us he was a former mission president in new zealand and had been here for a week. He then said, "Would you like a referal?" ...uh yes!  After that we tried to find someone we had met yesterda...it took us a bit to find it. WE saw 132 and 128, buuut not 130. After going a little ways in the back of the cornerstreet we found the apartment. It was a little sketch, but not too bad. We couldnt find the name of the lady, so we rang the name that sounded the closest. It wasnt her, it was a polish woman named Vera and she let us in to share our message. It was a tiny room- and very humble circumstances- but it was beautiful to see how Vera was willing to listen to our message and accept a return appointment.

Saturday we had the privledge of having a helper, Sister Lymer (wife of the area seventy, elder lymer). This is actually the second time that I have spent the day with her. She went around with us and helped us with appointments. We had Stake Conference that evening and Sister Lymer brought 8 refugees from Iran. (she volunteers at one of the camps)
They are all very excited to learn more. they left Iran because being Christian was so dangerous. And now they are interested in the gospel. We were able to get them a book of mormon in their language and organize someone to help translate for them. It was amazing to see the bishop, stake president, mission president, area 70 and countless others come up to these men and make them feel welcome.... I am hoping we will have a white christmas! ;)

I love you all

Sister Shurts

Sister Meyer and I- our first day together

Lunch with sister Lymer before we head out on our day together!

From Heidelberg to Friedrichsdorf

So, I have been officially transferred to a new area. I am going to Friedrichsdorf. Which is just north of Frankfurt. I will be right next door to the temple, sadly it is under construction right now, but it
will be special to still be close by. It is going to be hard to say goodbye to Heidelberg this week. And
hard to say goodbye to sister Bunderson. I can't believe that I have been here for over 7 months! and on my mission for 15!!! (GAHHH!!) Wow, time has really flown by. I think back on all the people that I have met and all the miracles that I have seen. I think about Frau kocher, and her good heart, and Patrick- with his soap opera life story (he is doing well in his new city btw) and about special cute old ladies that we visited each week, and all the sisters that we went on splits with.  And yesterday I was able to be a part of another miracle. Ericsson, one of our investigators was baptized yesterday!!! :) 

Wow- where to even begin with him. He is a refugee from Nigeria, he has been in Germany for about 5 months. His story is amazing. He traveled from his war torn country in Nigeria and made his way through the Sahara Desert with other refugees. He saw his friends suffering and as he took a boat across the Mediterranean and was a survivor although many of his friends lost their lives. As he came to Europe he knew that God has saved his life- and he wanted to find him. He was raised Muslim but learned about Christ in Europe. As we met with him the first time he said- He would go wherever the truth is. As we have taught him these last couple weeks he has made a lot of progress. It has been amazing to watch him grow. I will be perfectly honest at first when we met him I was less than excited to meet with him. Something about him just annoyed me- However learning about more about his life, and praying to understand him more has helped me grow to love him. He is a great young man. My favorite thing is every time we leave- he says, "Sisters, I wish you a very blessfull evening." Wow- he is just the coolest. 

I am soo sad to leave heidelberg- but it has been a lot of fun here- while it has lasted. I am excited to go to my next area and see what sort of adventures await me there. 

Talk to you all next week!!!! 

with love

Sister Shurts

Ericsson's Baptism:

Saying Goodbye to Heidelberg

The Lord is the Master of Simplicity

Well this week was crazy- I am pretty sure that sister Bunderson and I were out of our area more than we were in it!  

It started off with the amazing opportunity we had to go to Offenbach and listen to the Europe Area Presidency and Elder Ballard speak to us. It was mainly directed towards the wards and congregations but also included the missionaries. There was one thing in the whole evening that really stood out to me- at one point- elder Ballard said, "the Lord is the Master of Simplicity" We need to simplify our lives. Magnifying our calling does not mean adding bells and whistles- or making things a bigger deal than they are. On the contrary it is like a magnifying glass- honing in- or focusing up close on the core or center. Magnifying our calling means that we get to the point. Remember the whole purpose of why we even have a calling. We are here to serve Christ- and to lift others. 

This week we also visited schwester Breitenhuber, a dear sweet old lady in our ward... and I was chastised. hahah man- this little old lady- can see right through me. haha I was talking about improvement and progression. And how I have far to go (which I do) and she just looked at me- and said. Sister, How old are you? You are young! You haven't even had the chance to do anything wrong! Why are you never at peace!? You are Missionary! You are doing hard work- recognize the good that you do!... anyways- I was feeling the flames as this old Austrian lady yelled at me- but it did remind me that all too often we are a little bit too hard on ourselves- We need to take a step back and allow the Lord to tell us the good that we have done. 

We also introduced the Christmas initiative this week at the Kaiserslautern Zone Training. It is going to be a pretty amazing Christmas! To do that sister bunderson and I dressed up in ugly Christmas sweaters- and I wrapped her up in Christmas twinkle lights- and she got in a box- then I burst into the room at the appropriate moment and started shouting Who's excited for Christmas??- And then- after an embarrassingly long struggle with the door I opened it *behind which sister Bunderson was lying in wait in a box) and I kicked the box- and sister Bunderson popped out and shouted merry Christmas! Yeah... we kind of enjoy having awkward moments like that..... Stay tuned for the Heidelberg Zone Training coming up next week :)

As for people that we are working with- I am very excited for our investigator Eric. He is from Nigeria and has been to church for over a month now. He really loves the Gospel and this week he told us that after a lot of thought and prayer he wants to be baptized on the 6th of December! :) I am so excited for him. He is a pretty amazing young man. Another Miracle from this week is that we were able to meet with Family Kwiek again. She took a book of mormon and has more interests in learning about the gospel. The big trick now will be staying in contact with them- since they don't have a working phone.  

Anyways :) I just have thought a lot about what elder Ballard said, "the Lord is the Master of Simplicity" and I want to simplify my life and focus this Christmas season on the Savior- and get down to the core of his gospel

. 

I love you all

Sister Shurts

Weekly Update

Dear Everyone!!

This week has been a blur of amazingness... if that is a word... not really sure. :) 

But we saw quite a few miracles this week. I think one of my favorite moments this week was in Walldorf. We went by on someone that I had met a couple months ago- and they ended up being home and the whole family was interested in hearing more about the gospel!!!! :):) 

seriously it was a little miracle. 

I didn't get to write last week but we had our mini missionary- which was an absolute blast. Sister Fragapane is such a sweet heart. We were able to do so much together and able to enjoy the spirit of missionary work. In all honesty it reminded me a little bit about how I was at the beginning of my mission. I think it is important to try and hold the wonder that we have of new things. Whether it is a new experience or a new truth or anything. And also to be reminded that compared to God we are all beginners. We all have a long way to go and a lot to learn. 

This week we worked a lot with Eric. Eric is a man from Nigeria that we have been teaching. He is such a cool man! He has a baptismal date for the 6th of December! which I am very excited about. He has a great love for God- and understands Gods great role in his life. He was a refugee from a war torn country and experienced a lot during his flight across the Sahara and the Mediterranean- but he knows in whom he has trusted. A lot of people in Germany are shaken because of what happened in Paris. And as we speak with people that is often a topic that comes up. Sometimes it is hard to understand why certain things happen. Why people hurt, why there is war or disease or hate. And I am still pondering the question quite a bit. I don't know the answer. But I know that God knows the answer- and it all comes down to trust. To trust that we are truly all in Gods hands. 

I love you all

Sister Shurts

Great Week!

Dear friends and family,
This week was full of some wonderful adventures. First off we had transfers this week, which means that we have a lot of new sisters in our area that we get to know better. We went to the Mannheim appartment to split- and in our spontaneous way... sister bunderson and I decided to dye our hair red. So we bought some dye.... and did the whole thing... and then comes the worst disapointment of our lives!!! our hair came out the exact same color!!!!! bahahaha 

I am super excited. Now we have sister petite, sister sister Nilsson, sister Helmick! (Again! She headed up to Herne, and now she in Mannheim, and I am still here as her sister training leader!!!) I think it will be way good to start working with these sisters more.

We have a mini missionary now! Which is epic! A mini missionary, is a youth who stays with the missionaries for a whole week, to experience
missionary life.  Basically it means that there are miracles wait it's happen. Stay tuned for next week.  She's the best! Sister fragapane
will be with us till next Saturday, experiencing every part of missionary life!! Last night we got some free food from our favorite
Turkish kiosk man. And on Saturday we were out in the city, and we met this lady on the street whose father is in a home right now, and may pass away soon. We stopped in a cafe and taught her the plan of salvation. Sometimes I think about things I will be able to do when I go home- but at moments like this I remember that I will only be able to experience moments like this once in my life. I guess I'll be able to sleep in later. 

One of my favorite people here in Heidelberg is Frau Kocher. I have worked with her for the past 3 months now- on and off because she has been in the hospital. She loves the gospel and wants to get baptized as soon as she is able. However because of physical illness she has not been able to. I just found out this week that the doctors want to put her into a temporary 2 week sleep coma. I am praying and fasting that everything goes well. It would be heartbreaking if something happened to her. She is one of those people who are just easy to love. Her family needs prayers. 

With that in mind, I read this quote on my wall, that my mother sent me, from President Henry B. Eyring, "In the hardest trials, as long as you have the power to pray, you canask a loving God: “Please let me serve, this day. It doesn’t matter to me how few things I may be able to do. Just let me know what I can do. I will obey this day. I know that I can, with Thy help.” 

That has been my motto, and I want it to continue to be my motto for as long as I can! I would encourage you all to ask the lord as well, "Please let me serve this day."

Love you all

Sister Shurts!

a REAL hobbit hole!

Our mini-missionary companion

Horst Klemm and Michaela (Horst is a friend of the family)

Fun with our mini-missionary

Another 6 weeks with sister Bunderson!! and Heidelberg!!!!

So sister Bunderson and I have been stressing all week, because we were going to find out on Saturday wether or not if the two of us are staying together another transfer.... We even tried to get inside info from the assistants, and zone leaders, but to no avail! We have a mission wide conference call for transfers where they announce who is going and staying, and when they got to Heidelberg sisters, he assistants to the president took a ridiculously long pause before announcing that we were staying together!!! :) :) we are so excited! We have already started a bit of our planning and goal setting for
this transfer. We want to work hard and do our absolute best!! It's not every day that you get to stay another six weeks in the beautiful city of Heidelberg doing the Lords work with someone as motivated and excited about missionary work as you. :)

To celebrate sister Bunderson and I have literally not stopped smiling! :) Also we have just had a fantastic week. (other than we were a little bit sick at the beginning of this week) Sister Bunderson and I were on a split in Kaiserslautern- I was with the amazing sister Whicker in Heidelberg- we had a great time together. Sometimes a woman just needs change in her life- so during our lunch break we chopped off like a good 6 inches of her hair! (I don't think people should trust me with scissors... but yeah... haha so that was a party!) We also contacted so way cool people from Kenya as well.

Oh other random moment of the week.

We were walking home one night- through the altstadt.... and of course we wanted to buy some icecream- so we stopped and got ourselves a couple delicious scoops of italien gelato (Can't complain there!) And as we were sitting down this deaf man came up and sold us an GSL alphabet! Plus a picture of a baby kitten and a frog.

We had the wonderful opportunity this week to take part in a musical fireside that one of the sisters in Mannheim organized. It was amazing. The theme was the grace of Jesus Christ. I am always amazed at what talent people have when it comes to singing... (Especially Kandra and Kiana... I got a video of them singing absolutely beautiful
songs)

Anyways, this musical fireside was absolutley amazing. One of our investigators was able to come even though it was in a different city- and he loved it. His name is Eric and he is from Nigeria. We have been meeting with him quite a bit- His story is amazing as well. He traveled across the Sahera desert in order to get to Italy. He said that he was able to recognize God in his life because with out God- he would not have survived.

Today I have so much to be grateful for. I am grateful that I can be here in Germany- that I can be here with Sister Bunderson and that I can teach this gospel here in the beautiful city of Heidelberg!

Liebe Grüße

Sister Shurts